At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Swiss company E-Outdoor presented the E-Skimo, the first electrically assisted touring ski. The company from San Bernardino in the Misox Valley in Graubünden promises a ground-breaking innovation for ski tourers with an ascent skin that is pulled over a kind of roller and accelerated by a small motor.

 
The system consists of a battery, a drive belt and a drive unit with integrated sensors that drive the ski and rotate the belt. The system is reminiscent of a miniature snow groomer. According to E-Skimo, it can cover ascents up to four times faster than conventional skis. According to the manufacturer, a fully charged battery lasts up to three hours. For the descent, the battery and drive unit can be removed from the ski and stowed in the backpack.

The aim is to bring the technology to market in cooperation with established partners. The E-Skimo should be available for the 2025/26 winter season. There is no information on the price yet.

For more information, visit e-skimo.swiss

Visionary or illusory?

With E-Ski, there is also a second project in the pipeline that is dedicated to motorized support on ski tours. In this case, the two skis are connected via two cable harnesses that provide the propulsion. Like E-Skimo, E-Ski is still in the starting blocks and in the development phase. And anyone who smiles at the two projects and dismisses them as barely viable may well be right. However, the same scenario emerged when the first e-bikes rolled onto the roads: Useless from today's perspective, but visionary in the context of the time.